And now for something completely different. The new Rotax outboard from BRP is designed to live below an extended swim platform, eliminating the intrusion a traditional outboard imposes on the transom. In short, you get outboard power without having to see or play around the outboard. To achieve this low profile, the powerhead is oriented horizontally and enclosed in a watertight case. The 115 hp Rotax S115 and 150 hp Rotax $150 are exclusive to BRP boat brands Alumacraft, Manitou and, in Australia, Quintrex.
The 115 hp and 150 hp versions of the Rotax outboard share a 1.9-liter three-cylinder, two-stroke powerhead, with the 150 gaining variable exhaust ports for a power boost. Evinrude models featured the powerhead, with its E-Tec direct fuel injection, standard auto trim, and gear case with a 2.08-to-1 ratio, before BRP discontinued that brand in 2020. Digital throttle and shift control is standard. Conventional hydraulic ram handles power trim and tilt, while a hydraulic helix integral to the motor bracket actuates power steering. The gear case tilted clear of the water in the pontoon application we tested.
This story is from the January/February 2023 edition of Boating.
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This story is from the January/February 2023 edition of Boating.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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AFFORDABLE SATCOM
Communications devices using satellite technology are more abundant today than any time in the past. What's more, many are portable, ultra-compact, affordable relatively and designed for boating, dispelling any perceptions that you need a big, expensive dome antenna aloft to access satellite communications.
IN THE BEGINNING
REPOWERING FOUNTAIN HULL NO.1
NAVICO GROUP FATHOM 2.0
Engine charging at 48 volts could be a game-changer.
PROPS FOR INNOVATION
Sharrow MX3 propellers live up to most of the company's performance-improvement claims.
MERCURY RACING 500R
Supercharged power for a variety of boats.
FLIPPING THE SWITCH
Much reporting focuses on reasons why one might choose electric marine power. The issues of range, speed, noise levels, winterizing and ethanol challenges, lake restrictions, environmental concerns and more all must be resolved on an individual basis. Little gets said about how a boater choosing to repower with electric actually gets that accomplished. Is it DIY? And if not, how does it get done?
TOW-VEHICLE TECH
If it's been a while since you bought new tow vehicle, you might be surprised by the many built-in advancements in trailering technology. New tow tech ranges from integrated weight scales and adaptive suspensions to systems that automatically back up your truck to hitch up your trailer. Here are a few examples to look for. -Jim Hendricks
MONUMENTAL TIPS FOR BACKING A TRAILER
Three Boating greats offer advice for a perennial reader query.
STICKING POINTS - Anchoring alternatives, and why you will always need a traditional anchor.
My brother-in-law likes to fish offshore reefs, and the process once entailed navigating to a mark, dropping a float, and idling upwind or up-current to drop the anchor in hopes the set would drop us back to the float.
FOR WANT OF A CLAMP
When 100 miles from shore, home and help, this boater’s preparedness prevented potential catastrophe.
